Friday, October 29, 2004

End Game

Alright, Bush is probably going to win. I can't imagine that the Democrats will be able to recover from the Bin Laden tape in just 3 days. Already the IEM is showing Kerry's stock dropping and Bush on the rise. I believe the polls will follow suit. On the other hand, it's worth noting that Bin Laden gives examples of U.S. intervention in the Middle East as the reason for September 11. I do not wish to convey any sympathy for Muslim extremists, but the statement is, none the less, instructive. If this nation would follow the founder's advice and leave our interactions with other nations to trade, both commercial and cultural, and not to the advancement of any ideology or private interest, we could avoid these sorts of unfortunate entanglement in the future. We will beat Islamic fundamentalism when a functioning middle class exists in the Middle East to put down the extremists because extremism is counter to their interests. Trade will moderate the region and the religion far more effectively than bombs and breast beating. It is working with China and it would work with the Muslim world, and Cuba too. I just wish the Republicans would take this to heart if they are going to run the government for the next four years.

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Doug Bandow has an interesting analysis on the virtues of dividing government written for Fortune and reposted by Cato. Read it here.